Wall brush

ABSTRACT

A brush is disclosed which includes a housing, a cover plate secured to said housing to establish a chamber in said housing with a cover plate having suction openings therethrough. An access opening is provided to said chamber by which a vacuum may be applied. Valve means are provided within said chamber but are operable from a location outside of said chamber for selectively dispensing fluids conveyed to the valve means. Supply conduit means are secured at one end thereof to said valve means and pass at an opposite end thereof out of the chamber whereby a source of fluid may be attached thereto. Dispensing conduit means are secured at one end thereof to the valve means, with said dispensing conduit means passing out of the chamber and including dispensing portions having exit openings therein wherein fluids may be dispensed; and a brush sub-assembly that is removably secured with respect to said cover plate, said brush sub-assembly including passageways therethrough which communicate with said suction openings in said cover plate.

United States Patent [191 Wallick et a1.

[ WALL BRUSH [75] Inventors: Seymour Dudley Wallick, Clifton;

Joseph Jacob Sandler, Wayne, both of NJ.

[73] Assignee: Wis-King, Inc., Fairfield, NJ.

[22] Filed: Aug. 21, 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 390,314

Primary Examiner-I-Iarvey C. Hornsby Assisranr ExaminerC. K. Moore Attorney, Agent, or FirmLerner, David, Littenberg & Samuel [451 Mar. 11, 1975 [57] ABSTRACT A brush is disclosed which includes a housing, a cover plate secured to said housing to establish a chamber in said housing with a cover plate having suction openings therethrough. An access opening is provided to said chamber by which a vacuum may be applied. Valve means are provided within said chamber but are operable from a location outside of said chamber for selectively dispensing fluids conveyed to the valve means. Supply conduit means are secured at one end thereof to said valve means and pass at an opposite end thereof out of the chamber whereby a source of fluid may be attached thereto. Dispensing conduit means are secured at one end thereof to the valve means, with said dispensing conduit means passing out of the chamber and including dispensing portions having exit openings therein wherein fluids may be dis pensed; and a brush sub-assembly that is removably secured with respect to said cover plate, said brush sub-assembly including passageways therethrough which communicate with said suction openings in said cover plate.

8 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures PATENTED 1 3.869.750

sum 1 o 2 PATENTEDHARI 1 I975 sum 2 DE 2 WALL BRUSH FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to brushes and, more particularly, to an improved wall brush which is extremely simple in construction and, therefore, easy to manufacture and easily facilitates replacement of parts.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The prior art is replete with disclosures pertaining to surface liquid cleaning machines and brushes, especially those specifically designed for the cleaning of floors, windows and walls, and in which means is provided for applying a liquid under pressure (either water or water containing a cleaning solution) and subsequently applying a vacuum over the surface to remove the excess liquid. For example, US Pat. Nos. 2,531,370; 2,844,840; 3,195,166; 3,464,081 and 3,591,889, respectively, generally relate to such apparatus. The instant invention provides improvements over this type of apparatus and includes among its objects the object of providing such a surface washing brush which is easy to assemble, easy to disassemble, and provides for the ready and easy replacement of the parts thereof which are subject to wear over extended periods of use.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION As will be described in greater detail, the brush of the instant invention comprises a housing; a cover plate secured to the housing to establish a chamber within the housing with the cover plate having suction openings therethrough. An access opening is provided to the chamber by which a vacuum may be applied thereto. Within the chamber is positioned valve means with such valve means being operable from a location outside of the chamber by which the operator can selectively dispense fluid conveyed to the valve. Supply conduits are secured at one end to the valve and pass out of the chamber at the opposite end thereof whereby a source of fluid may be attached thereto. Secured to the other end of the valve means is dispensing conduit means which pass out of the vacuum chamber and include a dispensing portion having exit openings therein through which the fluid may be dispensed onto the surface being cleansed. Finally a brush sub-assembly is removably secured with respect to the cover plate and the brush sub-assembly includes passageways which communicate with the suction openings in the cover plate whereby a suction applied within the chamber may be utilized to withdraw the excess liquid remaining on the surface which has been cleansed.

In accordance with one aspect of the invention, the dispensing conduit means includes an intermediate portion which is generally transverse to the dispensing portion, and the rear end of the cover plate includes positioning projections for establishing a pivoting fulcrum position for the aforenoted intermediate portion of the dispensing conduit means. A generally U-shaped brush member is provided with one leg thereof removably secured to the dispensing portion of the aforementioned dispensing conduit means. In this manner, the U-shaped brush member will also pivot about the fulcrum established by the intermediate portion of the dispensing conduit means and the projections provided on the cover plate. The brush sub-assembly includes a pair of outstanding flanges which may be slidably received between the cover plate and the side leg portions of the U-shaped brush member. In this manner, both the flanged brush sub-assembly as well as the generally U- shaped brush member can be easily removed, disposed of, and replaced when necessary.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a brush constructed in accordance with the teachings of the instant invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective bottom view of the brush shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of a portion of the brush shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

FIG. 4 is a partially assembled explosed perspective view of the brush of the instant invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Turning to the figures, where in like numerals designate like elements, there is shown in the Figures the brush 10 of the instant invention which may be employed in connection with cleansing any surface such as walls, floors, windows, etc. The brush 10 includes a housing 12 having a planar surface 14 provided with depending side walls 16 and an integrally upstanding hollowed-out cavity portion 18 extending thereabove. The cavity portion 18 includes sidewalls 20 (only one of which can be seen in FIG. 1), an angled front wall 22, a top wall 24, and rear wall (not seen in the drawings). For purpose to be further described, side wall 20 includes an elongated aperture 26 therethrough which may be partially or fully covered by a slidably displacable hatch member 28. As best seen perhaps in FIG. 3, the interior of cover member 12 is provided with a pair of raised shoulder surfaces 30 and 32 which extend along the length thereof and aid in supporting a cover plate 34 to be presently described.

As best seen in FIG. 3, the cover plate 34 is a generally elongated member which is pivotally secured at one end 36 thereof to the rear depending side leg 16 of the housing 12. At the opposite end, the cover plate 34 is provided with downwardly rolled positioning tabs 38, the function of which will be further explained. The central planar portion 40 of the cover plate 34 includes a pair of parallel channels 42 and 44 which extend along the opposite ends thereof and terminate at their outermost edges with upstanding side walls 46 and 48 respectively.

By virtue of the pivotal engagement of the cover plate 34 to the housing 12 (as at 36), it may be appreciated that the cover plate 34 may be pivoted about its axis so that the undersurfaces of the channels 42 and 44 of the cover plate 34 will come to rest and be supported by the shoulder surfaces 30 and 32 provided in the interior of the housing 12 to establish a chamber 50 within the housing 12. Screw 35 passes through the top wall 24 and through the planar wall 40 of the cover plate 34 to which a nut may be secured to maintain the desired relationship. It should be noted that an access conduit 52 is provided at the rear end of the cover plate 34 by which a vacuum may be applied to the interior chamber 50 and furthermore that suction openings 54 are provided in the planar surface 40 of the cover plate 34 by which the vacuum may be communicated through such openings. A generally U-shaped rubber sealing element 56 is situated between the depending side walls 16 of the housing 12 and the upstanding side walls 46 and 48 of the cover plate 34 to provide an effective seal in establishing the aforenoted internal chamber 50. An inturned portion of the sealing member 56 is sandwiched between the undersurfaces of the channel 42 and 44 of the cover plate 34 and the shoulder surfaces 30 and 32 of the housing 12 to maintain the sealing member 56 in place and help establish the desired seal.

Positioned within the chamber 50 is a conventional valve assembly 58 which as seen in FIG. 1 includes operating levers 60 and 62 which pass through the upper wall 24 of the hollowed cavity portion 18 of the housing 12 so that they may be selectively displaced by the operator to control the fluids supplied to the valve assembly 58 by the supply conduits 60 and 62 which are positioned within the chamber 50 and secured at one end to the valve assembly 58 and pass at their opposite end thereof out the rear of the housing 12. As well known in the industry, one supply conduit such as 60 may supply pure water while the other supply conduit 62 may supply, for example, water containing cleansing solution.

Attached to the output side 64 of the valve assembly 58 is a dispensing conduit system which includes a length of flexible tubing 66, a rigid dispensing tube 68, and a rigid intermediate tubular portion 70 which is generally transverse to the dispensing tube 68 and which intermediate portion 70 is pivotally maintained within a fulcrum established by the aforementioned downwardly rolled tab portions 38 of the cover plate 34. The dispensing tube 68 further includes upwardly extending nozzles 72 which communicate with the interior of the dispensing tube 68 whereby fluid passed through the valve assembly 58 may be dispensed by the nozzles 72. The dispensing tube 68 further has secured thereto a channel-like supporting element 74 the function of which is to receive one leg of a generally U- shaped outer brush member 76 (FIG. 4) as will be described in greater detail.

The U-shaped brush member 76 comprises a U- shaped base channel 78 having upstanding bristles secured therewithin. One leg 80 of the U-shaped channel 78 may be frictionally press fit into the aforementioned U-shaped supporting channel 74 and in such a position the bight portion 82 of U-shaped channel 78 is virtually co-extensive (actually immediately above) the fulcrum established by the intermediate portion 70 of the dispensing conduit.

A brush sub-assembly 84 (FIG. 4) is provided which includes a pair of outstanding flanges 86 and 88 having a width corresponding to the width of the channel 42 and 44 provided on the cover plate 34. In this manner, the brush sub-assembly 84 can be slid over the cover plate 34 with the flanges 86 and 88 being guided by the channels 42 and 44. Once the brush sub-assembly is in place, the U-shaped brush member 76 carried by the dispensing conduit 68 is pivoted downwardly about its aforenoted fulcrum such that the U-shaped brush 76 effectively sandwiches and traps the flanges 86 and 88 to maintain the brush sub-assembly 84 in its proper position.

It will be noted that the friction between the U- shaped brush 76 (including the channel 78 and the upstanding bristles) and the internal surface of the generally U-shaped sealing member 56 will maintain the U- shaped brush 76 in the desired position which retains the brush sub-assembly 84 in position.

The brush sub-assembly 84 comprises a generally rectangular platform member 90 having a plurality of passageways 92 which communicate with the suction openings 54 provided in the planar surface 40 of the cover plate 34. As best seen in FIGS. 2 and 4, the upper surface of the rectangular block 90 includes two spaced apart pairs of bristle rows 94 and 96 between each of which is secured an elongated tubular element 98 of which has through apertures 100 communicating with the passageways 92. Generally U-shaped rubber retaining walls 02 maintain the bristles clear of the apertures 100, it being understood that the bight portion of such U-shaped rubber retaining walls is sandwiched between the tubular element 98 and the upper surface of the rectangular block 90. Of course, the bight portion of the U-shaped retaining members which is disposed between the tubular elements 98 and the upper surface of the platform 90 are provided with appropriate apertures where necessary so as not to block communication between apertures 100 and passageways 92.

From the construction thus far presented, it will be appreciated that the operator can depress levers 60 and/or 62 to dispense the proper liquid an/or cleansing solution through the nozzles 72 while the vacuum applied within the chamber 50 and through the suction openings 54, the passageways 92, and the apertures 100 will withdraw the excess liquid.

It should also be appreciated that when one wishes to replace the brush sub-assembly 84 he merely need lift the U-shaped brush 76 slide out the brush sub-assembly 84 and slide in the new brush sub-assembly. Similarly if one needs to replace the U-shaped brush 76 he need merely remove same from its press fit engagement within the supporting channel 74 secured to the dispensing tube 68 and insert a new one. Likewise it should be apparent that the internal chamber 50 is equally as accessibly by merely unscrewing the mounting screw 35'and pivoting the cover plate 34 about its axis 36. Of course, the operator may selectively cover the aperture 26 in the housing 12 in order to vary the extent of the vacuum applied.

Although this invention has been described with respect to its preferred embodiments, it should be understood that many variations and modifications will now be obvious to those skilled in the art, and it is preferred, therefore, that the scope of the invention be limited, not by the specific disclosure herein, only by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A brush comprising a housing including a planar surface provided with depending side walls;

a cover plate secured to one of said depending side walls to establish a chamber within said housing, said cover plate having suction openings therethrough;

. an access opening to said chamber through which a vacuum may be applied thereto;

valve means positioned in said chamber and operable from a location outside of said chamber for selectively dispensing fluid conveyed to said valve means;

supply conduit means secured at one end thereof to said valve means and passing at an opposite end thereof out of said chamber, whereby a source of fluid may be attached thereto;

dispensing conduit means secured at one end thereof to said valve means, said dispensing conduit means passing out of said chamber and including a dispensing portion having exit openings therein through which fluid may be dispensed; (and) a brush sub-assembly removably secured with respect to said cover plate, said brush sub-assembly including passageways therethrough which communicate with said suction openings in said cover plate;

whereby fluid dispensed through said exit openings may be withdrawn through said passageways;

wherein said cover plate is hinged to said housing at one end thereof; and

wherein said dispensing conduit means includes an intermediate portion generally transverse to said dispensing portion, and the opposite end of said cover plate includes positioning means for establishing a pivoting fulcrum position for said intermediate portion of said dispensing conduit means.

2. The brush of claim 1, and further including a generally U-shaped brush member having a bight portion and a pair of side leg portions extending therefrom, one of said side leg portions being removably secured to said dispensing portion of said dispensing conduit means whereby said U-shaped brush member will pivot about the fulcrum established by said intermediate portion of said dispensing conduit means.

3. The brush of claim 2 wherein said brush subassembly includes a pair of outstanding flanges which are slideably received between said cover plate and said side leg portions of said U-shaped brush member.

4. The brush of claim 3 wherein said cover plate includes a pair of parallel channels extending between the opposite ends thereof, said channels having a width corresponding to the width of said flanges.

5. The brush of claim 4 wherein said housing has a pair of shoulder surfaces which support the undersurfaces of said channels of said cover plate, and further including a generally U-shaped sealing member having a pair of side legs seated between said undersurfaces of said channels and said shoulder surfaces of said hous- 6. The brush of claim 2, and further including a channel-like reception member secured to said dispensing portion of said dispensing conduit means and wherein said leg of said U'shaped brush is removeably secured to said dispensing portion of said dispensing conduit means by being frictionally fitted within said channellike reception member.

7. The brush of claim 1, and further including a selectively closeable opening in said chamber and means for selectively closing said selectively closeable opening for varying the extent of vacuum applied within said chamber.

8. The brush of claim 1 wherein said brush subassembly includes at least two spaced-apart pairs of bristle rows between each of which is secured an elongated tubular element having through apertures communicating with said passageways, and further including retaining walls for maintaining said bristles clear of said apertures. 

1. A brush comprising a housing including a planar surface provided with depending side walls; a cover plate secured to one of said depending side walls to establish a chamber within said housing, said cover plate having suction openings therethrough; an access opening to said chamber through which a vacuum may be applied thereto; valve means positioned in said chamber and operable from a location outside of said chamber for selectively dispensing fluid conveyed to said valve means; supply conduit means secured at one end thereof to said valve means and passing at an opposite end thereof out of said chamber, whereby a source of fluid may be attached thereto; dispensing conduit means secured at one end thereof to said valve means, said dispensing conduit means passing out of said chamber and including a dispensing portion having exit openings therein through which fluid may be dispensed; (and) a brush sub-assembly removably secured with respect to said cover plate, said brush sub-assembly including passageways therethrough which communicate with said suction openings in said cover plate; whereby fluid dispensed through said exit openings may be withdrawn through said passageways; wherein said cover plate is hinged to said housing at one end thereof; and wherein said dispensing conduit means includes an intermediate portion generally transverse to said dispensing portion, and the opposite end of said cover plate includes positioning means for establishing a pivoting fulcrum position for said intermediate portion of said dispensing conduit means.
 1. A brush comprising a housing including a planar surface provided with depending side walls; a cover plate secured to one of said depending side walls to establish a chamber within said housing, said cover plate having suction openings therethrough; an access opening to said chamber through which a vacuum may be applied thereto; valve means positioned in said chamber and operable from a location outside of said chamber for selectively dispensing fluid conveyed to said valve means; supply conduit means secured at one end thereof to said valve means and passing at an opposite end thereof out of said chamber, whereby a source of fluid may be attached thereto; dispensing conduit means secured at one end thereof to said valve means, said dispensing conduit means passing out of said chamber and including a dispensing portion having exit openings therein through which fluid may be dispensed; (and) a brush sub-assembly removably secured with respect to said cover plate, said brush sub-assembly including passageways therethrough which communicate with said suction openings in said cover plate; whereby fluid dispensed through said exit openings may be withdrawn through said passageways; wherein said cover plate is hinged to said housing at one end thereof; and wherein said dispensing conduit means includes an intermediate portion generally transverse to said dispensing portion, and the opposite end of said cover plate includes positioning means for establishing a pivoting fulcrum position for said intermediate portion of said dispensing conduit means.
 2. The brush of claim 1, and further including a generally U-shaped brush member having a bight portion and a pair of side leg portions extending therefrom, one of said side leg portions being removably secured to said dispensing portion of said dispensing conduit means whereby said U-shaped brush member will pivot about the fulcrum established by said intermediate portion of said disPensing conduit means.
 3. The brush of claim 2 wherein said brush sub-assembly includes a pair of outstanding flanges which are slideably received between said cover plate and said side leg portions of said U-shaped brush member.
 4. The brush of claim 3 wherein said cover plate includes a pair of parallel channels extending between the opposite ends thereof, said channels having a width corresponding to the width of said flanges.
 5. The brush of claim 4 wherein said housing has a pair of shoulder surfaces which support the undersurfaces of said channels of said cover plate, and further including a generally U-shaped sealing member having a pair of side legs seated between said undersurfaces of said channels and said shoulder surfaces of said housing.
 6. The brush of claim 2, and further including a channel-like reception member secured to said dispensing portion of said dispensing conduit means and wherein said leg of said U-shaped brush is removeably secured to said dispensing portion of said dispensing conduit means by being frictionally fitted within said channel-like reception member.
 7. The brush of claim 1, and further including a selectively closeable opening in said chamber and means for selectively closing said selectively closeable opening for varying the extent of vacuum applied within said chamber. 